Rail-bonding apparatus.



L. P. CRECEUUS. HAIL BONDING APPARATUS. APPucAnou mtu ocr. s. 1914. nznrwzn :uur 24. ma.

4 SHEETS--SHEET Patented Dot. 9, 1917.

L. P. cnEcEuus. RAIL BONDING APPARATUS. APPLICAFFMMIL FILED OCT. 5. l9l4 REHEWED IUNE 24. |916.

Patented Oct 9,1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

L. P. CRECELIUS. BAIL B'QNDING APPARATUS. yMmc/mem msu ocr. 5. :914. afnews!) 111x224. ma.

1,242,525. Pand oen 9,1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

L. P. CRECELIUS.- RAIL BONDING APPARH'US.4 Y APPucATlou msn 00.1.5. aan. nznswzo muz'u. ms.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Patented Oct. 9, 1917.

UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE.

LAWRENCE P. CRECELIUS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE ELECTRIC RAIL- \V.A.Y IMPROVEMENT COMPANY,

OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

RAIL-BON DIN G APPARATUS.

To all 'u1/wm 'it may concern-f Be it known that" I, Lau/nunon P. Cixi:- oeLiUs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State.of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Rail Boudin" Apparatus, of which thc following is a ful clear, and exact descri tion.

This invention relatcslto rail li paratus and is a modification of the rail bonding apparatus forming the subject inatter of a prior application tiled by Paul H. Elicrlein and myself on April 5, 1913, Serial No. 759,074.

In said prior application there is disclosed a rail bondin apparatus which is designed to be clampec to the rail so as to be located at the side thereof, and which includes two heating electrodes designed to he simultaneously pressed against the terminal of the rail bond so that current will pax through the two electrodes and through the bond with the three parts in series relationship,4

tbc said electrodes being capable of adjustment toward and from the, rail simultaneously or individually. The relative adjusting of the electrodes is effected by means of manna ily-operable screw attachments, which permit the operator to equalize the ressures bet uren the two'electrodes and the ond terminal in such a manner that equal or predetermined heatinr effects are obtained at both electrodes; bald apparatus therefore has the advantages that it does not interfere with a trallic over the rails being bonded, and can lic easily moved from point to point, especially as the series relationship f the electrodes during rent required for bonding-purposes `that there may be utilized considerably smaller a nd. more flexible cond nctoi'sthan heretofore to-conduct the currentbetwcen the electrodes -lrmles and the lioiid terminal is accomplished in n different manner aiidlnipsomcwhat simpler means.

-t further object is to provide .certain 1m- Speciication of Letters Patent.

onding apthe bonding operation re- `duces to such an extent the amount of cur- Patented 0ct..9, 1917. Renewed .Tune 24, 1916. Serial No. 105,723.

proveinents which increase the eed and reduce the cost of bondin a trac r.

The above and other oijects are accomplishcd by my invention which has for one of its features means whereby there is a selfadjustment of electrodes as the latter are simultaneously pressed against the terminal of the bond. Further important features of my invention reside in the 'manner of supporting the electrode carrying part of the apparatus on a clamp or holsder which is designed to -b'e secured to the rail to be bon ed, and in the means by which electric conductors can be quick] attached to or detached from the electrodes. v. My invention may be further briey slimas consisting in certain novel details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts which will be described in the specification and. set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings showing two forms of my invention, Figure 1 is a plan- View of one form'of the apparatus a plied to a rail, parts being in section; Fig. 2 is a side view. of the apparatus with therail iii section; view substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a plan view similar to Fi 1 showing a modi cation; Fig. 'is a si e elevation of the saiiie; and Fig. 6 is a sectipril view substantially along the line 6 6 o i 5.

In fivs. 1 to 3 the rail Iboudin -appa- 'ratus, which it maybe here stat is utilized preferably for brazing copper bonds to steel rails, includes in is instance a rail clamp having two ciampi parts, 10 and 11, which in the presentrem odiment of the invention are' adapted to .extend beneath the flange of the rail which isishown at 12, and to grip opposite langesintbe manner best shown in ig. 3. It is not essential, however, tliat the aiparatus be supported as here shown or ave a 4 rail grippin or clamping means ofl the partiell ar orm illustrated, as other ways of obtaining the desired result and especially of securing or clamping the apparatus to the rail may be utilized. I may say .further at this point that by the terni rail employed in connection with the rail clamp I mean to .include those parts which in eiieet consti- Fig. 3 1s a sectional 80 tute parts of the rail such as thc fish plates. The members 10 and 11 are adapted to slide relatively one within the other, and the member 10 carries a rotatable spindle or rod 13 having a suitable hand wheel 13a and a threaded portion 13.b which engages in a suitable threaded socket of the member 11, so that the gripping jaws on the two component parts 10 and 11 of the clamp may be moved into and out of rail clamping position. l

It will be observed that the member 10 of the clamp is provided at its upper surface at one side of the rail with a projection or supporting arm 14 which is at right angles to the clamping spindle 13 or par allel to the rail when the apparatus is in position for bonding and extends beyond both sides of the clamp, Seated on this member 14 is an electrode supporting base member 15 having on its lower surface a slot or roove which receives the member 14, and 1s somewhat wider than the latter,

so that the electrodes and the electrode' holding art of the apparatus, may be lifted bodily rom the clamp. AWhen the electrodes are pressed against the bond terminal, that is when the apparatus is in use, the front edge portion of the member 14 bears against the edge of the slot in the member 15, these portions of the slot and member 15 being undercut, as shown in Fig. 2. The base member 15 carries an electrode carrieror slide 16 which is adapted to be moved toward and from the rail, said carrier or slide having a dovetail projection which fits in a dovetail slot located m the upper portion of the base member 15 and extending at ri ht angles to the rail. For the pur ose of a justing the member 16 relative to t e member 15 toward and from the rail, the member 15 is provided with an adjusting-shaft or spindle 17 having a suitable handl wheel 17* and a threaded portion 17'J which engages in a suitable threaded socket of the member 16. v i

This member 16 su ports two adjacent box like electrode hol ers 18 in which are secured two high resistance heating electrodes 19 which are preferably made of carbon,` the inner ends of the electrodes being adjacent each other and bein adapted to be 'simultaneously pressed a ainst the bond terminal which is indicate at 20. These electrode holders 18 are secured by insulated bolts indicated at 21 in Fig. 2 to shoes 22, which have a close working fit and are ada ted to have slight sliding movement in.

gui eways 23 in the carrier 16. The holders 18 are securely insulated from the shoes, the separating insulation between these parts being shown at 24. Between the shoes 22 and'the rear ends of the guideways 23, are

coil springs 25 which yieldingly resist rear'-4 ward 'inl'iveincnt of the shoes in the guideways of the carrierI and cause a selfadjustment or automatic equalization of the ressures of the two electrodes on the bon terminal when the carrier is moved forwardly toward the rail to cause the electrodes to press against the terminal.

The electrode holders are provided with terminal members 26, to which electric conductors for supplying current to the electrodes are adapted to be connected. The terminal members here shown consist of portions of so-called quick detachable couplings. The source of current forthe elec-` trodes will usually consist of a transformer which may be located at any point' reason# ably near the bonding apparatus. The leads or conductors between the transformer and the electrodes may by reasonl of the series arrangement of the electrodes, as heretofore explained, be sufficiently small, light and flexible that conductors of `considerable length may be employed enblin'gthe blld. ing apparatus to be carried lforrlV point to point, so that several bonds may be applied without requiring 'that the transformer be moved. lVhen the leads' are attached to the electrode holders and when the electrodes are brought up against the bond terminal. current will pass from one electrode into the terminal and from the terminal into the other electrode; in other words, infseries through the three parts. The terminal will thus be heated by conduction from the heating electrodes, and it will be heated also by the current passin through the bond and by the heat enerate at the points vof contact between 51e electrodes and the bond terminal. The heat thus applied to the terminal will pass by conduction to the yrail through any suitable brazing or soldering material which will be'nterposed between the bond terminal and the rail, with thej result that the bond terminal will be brazed to the rail y veryv quickly. i ubstantially uniform heating effects are obtained opposite both electrodes, because of the provision ofthe springs 25 whichwll ordinarily be of equal length and strength, the said springs being compressed whenthe This avoids unequal heating eiects and the".

fao

destruction of one part of the bond by excessive' heating before the other part is brought to brazing temperature, as would result from pressing. a ainst the terminal two' relatively rigid or r1 'dly mounted elec' trodes not' capable of adjustment relative to cach other or to the carrier which is moved.

by the adjusting screw.

-would not be heated equally and uniformly to brazing temperature because the connector extending from end of the terminal con-v ducts away heat from that end, with the re sult that the free end would heat up much more quickly. To adapt the apparatus for bonds of the type which are not thermally 'symmetric the electrodes can be caused to bear unequally against the terminal by Ithe 4or the electrode opposite which a greater heating is desired a weaker spring can be employed than is employed with the other elec trede, so that the former electrode will be pressed against the terminal with less pressure than the latter, resulting in greater ref sistance of contact and a generation of more lheat at that part of the terminal where the greater heating is desired.

There are numerous advantages in the particular manner previously described of supporting the base member-15 and the parts carried thereby on the supporting arm or.

projection 14 of the clamp. Inthe first place, the base meirber and the electrodes can, be adjusted lengthwise of the rail by simply sliding the base member along the member 14 ater the clamp is in place, so that thel electrodes can be accurately ositiond withreference to the bond terminal.

Furthermore, the easy removability of the base member from the clamp or attachment of the base member to the clamp admits of the use of several clamps with one set of heating electrodes. I have found that loond-y ing can be facilitated if a number of clam s are employed, thus allowing the clamps to e secured to the rails at or lsubstantially at points wherethe bonding is to4 be done, and then the operator who does the bonding has sim ly tolift. the base member With the electroc es from one clamp and carry the same to the next clamp which is already in position.

I have found also that bonding can be carrie'd on very rapidly by utilizing several sets of the bonding apparatus such as herein disclosed, including the clamp and the electrodes. These different sets may be secured to the rails at the desired points, and when the bonding is completed at one point the operator may detach Vthe conductors from the electrodes and attach them to the electrodes of the next bonding set. The speed part to the quick detachable couplings or electric connections previously described, and for this and other reasons the couplings or connectors of the quick detachable type have great importance in this apparatus.

In the modification shown in Figs. 4 to l, substantially the same results are obtained in a somewhat different manner than with the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 3. In Figs. 4 to 6 the rail clamp composed of the parts 10, 11, 13 and 14 and the member 15 are the same as the corresponding parts in the first described construction, and hence the previous description and referencecharacters as to such parts will apply to Figs. 4 to G. This member 15' carries a slide or electrode carrier 30 corresponding to the slide 16 of the first described construction, this slide having a dovetail sliding connection with the member 15, such that 1t may be moved toward und, from the rail, the adjustment being accomplished as in the first case by an adjusting rod or spindle 30".

The slide 30 'carries two high resistance heating electrodes 31 which are similar to and are disposed relative to each other, the same as in the first described construction. These electrodes are mounted in holders which are rigidly bolted to and insulated from a plate 33,-the rear end of which is movahly connected b a swivel pin 34 to the rear portion of the s ide 30. This construction differs from the first in the respect that the electrodes are rigidly held or are rigid with respect to each other, but are both slightly movable with respect to the slide or carrier 30. When the slide is moved in wardly and the electrodes are forced against the te'rminal of the bond, the electrodes will, to an extent, adjust themselves to inequalities on the face of the bond terminal somewhat as with the construction first described. The second construction is, however, less effective in this respect than the first, but

1. In an apparatus for uniting metal` bodies, a support, a pair of adjacent high resistance heating electrodes carried by said support and insulated fromeach other so that they may be connected in a series circuit, means for simultaneously moving said electrodes toward and from the bodies to he united, said electrodes being movably mounted in Vsuch a manner that when they are pressed against one of said bodies to be united the relative ressures of thetwo electrodes on said bo y' are automatically adjusted.

2. In combination in an apparatus for saidicarrier may said bodies, said uniting metal bodies, a support, a pair of adjacent high resistaure elcctrmlcs carried by said support and insulated Afrom each other so that they may be connected in a series circuit, means for simultaneously moving said electrodes toward and from said bodies and for causing the saine to bear forcibly against one of the bodies, and means whereby when said electrodes are pressed against one of said bodies thc individual pressures of the two electrodes'are automatically adjusted.

3. In an apparatus for uniting metal bodies, a support, a pair of high resistance electrodes carried thereby and insulated from each other so that they may be connected in a series circuit, said electrodes hav ing their inner ends adjacent each other, means for moving said electrodes toward or from said bodies and for causing the ends of said electrodes to bear forcibly against one of said bodies, and means whereby said electrodes are automatically caused to bear with redetcrmined relative pressures against sai body.

4. In combination in an apparatus for uniting metal bodies, a support, a pair of adjacent high resistance electrodes carried by said support, and insulated from each other so'that they may be connected in a series circuit, adjusting mechanism by which said electrodes may be simultaneously shifted and caused to bear against one of in such a manner that the relative pressures of the two electrodes are equalized when pressure is applied through said adjusting mechanism.

5. In a rail bonding apparatus, a support adapted to beheld in a fixed position with reference to a rail and at one side of the same, an electrode carrier carried by said support, adjusting means by which be moved toward/and from the rail, a pair of high resistance electrodes mounted on said carrier, and insulated Vfrom each other so that they may be connected in a series circuit; the mounting of said electrodes ion said carrier permitting an automatic pressure adjustment of the two elec g trodes on the bond terminal when pressure is applied throu h saidadjusting means.

6. A rail bon ing apparatus, a support, rail clamping means holdinv the same at one side of the rail, a pair of thigh resistance electrodes carried by said support and insulated from each other so that they may be connected in a series circuit, an adjusting device by which said electrodes may be simultaneously moved toward or from the ruil and may be caused to bear forcibly against a terminal oi a bond to be united to the rail, said electrodes having a mounting which permits self-adjustment of the as `pressures of the two electrodes on the bond.

electrodes being mountedl 7 In a rail bonding apparatus, a support, means by clamped to the rail at one side ofthe latter, an electrode carrier supported by said support for movement toward and from the rail, an adjusting device for simultaneously moving the electrodes toward and from the rail and for simultaneously causing both electrodes to bear forcibly against a ter minal of the bond to be united to the rail, said electrodes having a loose mounting on said carrier so that they will bear against the terminal'with predetermined pressures when pressure is applied through said adjusting mechanism.

`S. ln a rail bonding apparatus, a support, clamping means by which said support may be rigidly supported from and at the side of the rail, an electrode carrier having'a sliding connection with said support for movement toward and from the rail, a pair of V'insulated electrodes supported by said carrier,- and having their inner ends adjacent each other, an adjusting device by which said carrier may be moved toward and from the rail, and by which the inner ends ofthe electrodes will be caused to bear forcibly against the terminal of a bond to be united to the rail, said electrodes being mounted loosely on the carrier so that they will au` which said support may be.

tomatically be causcd to bear against the terminal with predetermined relative' presadjusting device.

9. In a rail bonding apparatus, a rail clamp, a support mountedA thereon, an ectrode carrier carried by said support and movable toward and from the rail, one or more electrodes supported by said carrier, means for shifting' said carrier and for causing the electrode or electrodes tobear against a terminal of the bond to beunited to the rail, said su port and the' parts carried thereby norma lresting on said clump, said su port and amp having engaeging parts w ich enable the support to be d in fixed position relative to the clamp when pressure is a plied V`on to'the bond, .and which enable e sup ort and the parts carried thereby to be l1 ted as a unit from the clamp.

10. In a rail bonding ap clamp having a part projecting laterally to one side of t e rail, as'upport or the bonding electrodes re'stn onrsaid laterally'projecting part of the amp, one or more heating electrodes carried b `said support,means by which said elect e be movcd towardnnd from the rail, said support normally resting on theclamp, and one having -a projection, and the other a slot which receives the projection, and projection permitting the support'to be held rigidly to thefclamp vvhen .pressre`is' appli@CL ihejbend. termmband aratus, a rail said slot j ting the. support and all the parts carried thereby to be lifted from the clamp.

11. In a rail bondingvapparatus, a rail clamp having a part projecting laterally to one side of the rail when the clamp is secured to the rail, a projection on said laterally projecting part of the clamp, a snpport for one or more heating electrodes having a slot on its lower side wider than said projection and loosely receiving the latter, so that the support may be lifted bodily from the clamp, one or more heating electrodes carried by the support, and means by which said electrode or electrodes may be adjusted toward and from the rail.

12. In a rail bonding apparatus, a rail clamp having a part projecting laterally to one side of the rail when the clamp is se cured to the rail, a member carried by said laterally projecting part of the clamp, and extending transversely of said clamp or lengthwise of the rail, a support for one or more' heating electrodes, having a slot extending lengthwise of the rail, said slot loosely receiving said member, a slide on the upper side of the support and movable toward and from the rail in a direction at right angles to said slot, means for adjusting said slide, and one or more heating electrodes carried by said slide.

13. In a rail bonding apparatus, a rail clamp having a part projecting laterally to one side of the rail when the clamp is secured to therail, an electrode support, said laterally projecting portion of the clamp and said' sup ort having engaging parts which enable t e support to be moved relative to the clamp lengthwise of the rail, one or more heating electrodes carried by the sup ort, and means for moving said electro e or electrodes toward and from the rail.

14. In`a rail bonding ap aratus, a rail clamp having a part projecting laterally to one side of the rail when the clamp is in clamping engagement with the rail, a support for one or more heating electrodes mounted on the laterally projectin portion of the clamp, said portion of the c amp and support having engagin portions ineluding a slot in one part and a member on the other part and engaging said slot, said slot and member extending parallel to the rail and permitting the support to be adjusted lengthwise of the rail, one or more heating electrodes carried bythe support, and means foi'1 moving the same toward and from the ra 15.In a rail bonding apparatus, a. rail clamp having a support which, when the clamp is secured to a rail, is at one side of the rail and extends longitudinally thereof, and a bonding structure supported on said support and movable along the same lengthwise oi' the rail. f

16. In a rail bonding apparatus, a rail clamp having' a support at one side of the rail when the clamp is in engagement with the rail, and a rail bonding structure removably seated on said support and including one or more electrodes, together with means for clamping the same against a bond.

17. In a rail bonding ap aratus, a rail clamp havin a support which of the rail w ie'n the clamp is secured to the rail and a rail bonding structure removably seated on said sn port and having on the lower side thereofpa slot which receives the top of the said support.

18. In a rail bonding a aratus, a rail clamp having a part exten ing laterally to one side of the rail when the clamp is in operative position leaving the go line c ear and unobstructed, and bonding means including an electrode snp rted on said lat-- erally extending part of t e clamp in such a manner that it may be lifted as a unit from the clamp and means whereby the electrode may be pressed against the bond with sucient ressure for bondingpurposes.

19. n a rail bonding apparatus, a rail clamp haviigi` an electrode supporting part at one side of the rail when the clamp 1s in o erative position leaving the gage line c ear and unobstructed, and bonding means including a carrier for one or more electrodes connected to said supporting part of the clamp in such a manner that the bonding means may press the bond firmly against the rail and with suicient pressure for bonding purposes or may be removed as a unit from the clamp.

20. In a rail bonding apparatus, a rail clamp having an electrode supporting part located at one side of the rail when the clamp is in operative position, said part extending longitudinally of the rail, and'bonding means includin an electrode supported on said part of t e clamp andl movable lengthwise thereof parallel to the rail.

21. Ina rail bonding apparatus, a rail clamp having an electrode sup rting part located at one side of the rail when the clamp is in operative position and bondin means adapted to engage and heat a bon supported on saidpart of the clamp "in such a manner that it may be moved lengthwise of the rail within certain limits or may be bodily removed from the clamp'.

' In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiiix my signature in the resence of two witnwee.

LAWRl NCE P. CRECELIUS. Witnesses: i A. F. Kwis,

L. I. Poma.

is at one side 

